Paper no - 210 Conclusion of Dissertation

 Name : Dhruvita Dhameliya

Roll no : 03

Semester : 04

Year: 2021 to 2023

Paper no: 210

Subject : Research Project Writing: Dissertation Writing

Topic :  Conclusion of Dissertation 

E-mail ID : dhameliyadhruvita24@gmail.com

Submitted to : S. B. Gardi Department of English   Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

Conclusion of Dissertation 

This dissertation aims to analyse the novels of Chetan Bhagat, which shed light on the concerns and issues faced by young Indians as they navigate their roles in the "New India" and explore what it means to be part of a new generation of Indians. Through this study, the researcher seeks to examine the various themes reflected in Bhagat's novels that are relevant to contemporary Indian realities. Specifically, the dissertation focuses on how the material and ideological aspects of economic globalisation impact the formation of the new middle class, particularly within youth groups, and how this group is viewed as aspirational. The research seeks to explore how Bhagat's novels reflect the experiences of the middle class in India, including their struggles, aspirations, and challenges. The dissertation also examines various themes that are relevant to contemporary Indian society, such as social and economic inequality, gender roles and relations, educational opportunities, and the impact of technology and social media. Through the analysis of these themes, the researcher aims to provide a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by young people in modern India and how they navigate their roles within a rapidly changing society. Overall, this dissertation seeks to contribute to the understanding of contemporary Indian society and the experiences of young people in the country. By analysing Bhagat's novels, the researcher hopes to provide valuable insights into the concerns and issues faced by young Indians and contribute to the ongoing discourse on the formation of a new middle class in India.

Chetan Bhagat's novels serve as a platform to discuss and explore the prevalent social issues in Indian society, with a particular focus on the challenges faced by Indian youth. Through his work, Bhagat sheds light on the struggles faced by young people as they navigate their way through the complex social and economic realities of contemporary India. Two of his novels, "The Girl in Room No 105" and "One Arranged Murder," delve into the experiences of IIT-educated youth who find themselves struggling to achieve success despite their educational achievements. Bhagat's work exposes the harsh realities faced by many young Indians, who are often burdened by societal expectations and pressure to conform to traditional notions of success. By highlighting these issues, Bhagat's novels offer a valuable lens through which to examine and reflect on the challenges facing young people in modern India.

In the novel "One Arranged Murder," the protagonist is a graduate of the prestigious IIT-Delhi who decides to set up his own detective agency. Despite not achieving the traditional markers of success associated with his educational background, the protagonist is content and fulfilled in his new career path. He expresses satisfaction in leaving behind his previous tutoring job at Chandan Classes for IIT, where he found little fulfilment. Through his character's experience, Bhagat highlights the importance of pursuing work that provides personal satisfaction and fulfilment, rather than conforming to societal expectations of success. The protagonist's enjoyment of his new job as a detective serves as a reminder that success can take many forms, and that it is important to find a career path that aligns with one's personal interests and values.

Chetan Bhagat's novels provide a realistic portrayal of Indian society, where the protagonists are determined to achieve success in their lives, despite the challenges they face. In The Girl in Room No 105 and One Arranged Murder, Keshav and Saurabh are willing to risk their lives to solve the case and bring the culprits to justice. Their perseverance and determination in the face of adversity are reflective of the never-give-up attitude of many young Indians who strive to succeed in their respective fields. Finally, after overcoming numerous obstacles, the protagonists successfully unravel the mystery and bring the culprits to justice.

Bhagat's novels offer a glimpse into the challenges and aspirations of modern Indian youth. The fast-paced life of metropolitan cities and the struggles of young people to navigate their way through it are a recurring theme in his works. In both The Girl in Room No 105 and One Arranged Murder, the protagonists face obstacles in their pursuit of a modern life. These novels reflect the current issues and concerns of the youth in India, including issues of career, relationships, and personal growth. In his novels, Chetan Bhagat portrays the modern Indian youth who do not discriminate based on caste, creed, religion, or state. They aspire for inter-caste marriages and look beyond social and cultural barriers. For instance, in The Girl in Room No 105, Keshav and Zara strive to convince their respective families for their inter-caste marriage. Bhagat highlights the importance of national integration through inter-state marriages, which can lead to a greater understanding and unity between two cultures. He emphasises that social customs and economic barriers should not hinder love and marriage. Through his novels, Bhagat encourages the removal of such barriers for a harmonious and integrated society.

Chetan Bhagat's novels often highlight the issue of corruption in Indian society, and his protagonists strive to bring change and justice to the system. In One Arranged Murder, Keshav dreams of becoming an IPS officer so that he can bring about a positive change in the society and fight against corruption. He believes that the power and position of an IPS officer will give him the ability to do the right thing and provide justice to everyone. Bhagat's novels reflect the reality of corruption in India, especially in the government and bureaucratic systems. His characters face challenges and obstacles when trying to bring about change, as they have to face the corrupt system and the people who benefit from it. Bhagat's protagonists show courage, determination, and perseverance in their fight against corruption, and they do not give up easily. Through his writing, Bhagat encourages his readers to take a stand against corruption and work towards a better society. He shows that change can come from within, and every individual can contribute towards making a difference. His novels also highlight the importance of transparency, accountability, and honesty in governance, and the need for citizens to actively participate in shaping their own future.

Chetan Bhagat's novels focus on the struggles and aspirations of the Indian middle-class youth. His novels reflect the harsh realities of the Indian education system, especially the IIT education system. Bhagat has pointed out that although the IIT students are academically intelligent, they lack social skills and are often disconnected from the real world. In his novels, Bhagat's characters face challenges that reflect the experiences of many Indian youth. They struggle with issues like career choices, social barriers, corruption, and gender inequality. His novels highlight the importance of determination, perseverance, and hard work in achieving one's goals. Bhagat's works also reflect the changing values and attitudes of modern Indian society. He portrays the Indian youth as being more independent, progressive, and ambitious. His characters question traditional norms and stereotypes, and strive to break free from them. Overall, Bhagat's novels provide a glimpse into the complexities of Indian society and the challenges faced by its youth. He addresses important issues through his work, making his novels not only entertaining but also thought-provoking.  

Bhagat's works focus on the anxieties and insecurities of the rising Indian middle class, exploring the questions surrounding career opportunities, marital conflicts, and familial struggles that confront the youth in today's rapidly changing society. Through his writing, Bhagat offers a candid view of the fast-growing urban centres and global factors that influence the experiences, dreams, and attitudes of the Indian youth. Bhagat's novels not only reflect the social realities of contemporary India but also offer a unique perspective on the country's progress and cultural heritage. Through his writing, Bhagat has succeeded in providing readers with a thought-provoking and candid view of modern Indian society.  His works delve into the questions surrounding career adequacy, marital conflicts, and familial struggles that confront the youth in a rapidly evolving India. His writing offers a nuanced understanding of the fast-growing urban centres and the impact of global factors on the experiences, dreams, and attitudes of the Indian youth. He subtly portrays the complexities of urban life and the challenges faced by the younger generation in adapting to changing social norms and expectations. His portrayal of the Indian middle class and their struggles resonates with readers and offers a unique perspective on the country's progress and cultural heritage. Chetan Bhagat's contribution to Indian literature is significant. His ability to explore the complexities of modern Indian society and capture its diverse social landscape has earned him a dedicated following and made him a household name in India.

 

Bhagat is a writer who has gained widespread recognition for his ability to explore the social, economic, and political realities of contemporary India through his works of fiction. Bhagat's writing is characterised by a blend of humour and pathos, hope and fear, success and failure, making him a popular writer of the present era. His novels revolve around the challenges faced by the modern youth of India, offering insights into the struggles and success of young people as they navigate a rapidly changing world. Through his works, Bhagat highlights the importance of perseverance and determination in the face of adversity, inspiring readers to pursue their dreams and overcome the obstacles that stand in their way. His writing serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience and strength of the human spirit, and the transformative power of literature to shape hearts and minds. Through his works, he has opened new windows onto the social, economic, and political realities of India, offering insights into the challenges faced by the country's youth and the transformative power of education. Bhagat's blend of humour and pathos, hope and fear, success and failure, makes his writing both relatable and inspiring, capturing the essence of the human experience in all its complexities and contradictions.

In his works, Bhagat highlights the pervasive issue of stress in modern society, particularly among students who face immense pressure to succeed in a highly competitive environment. He sheds light on the hopes and expectations of parents who want their children to excel in prestigious fields such as engineering, medicine, and business, reflecting the prevailing trends of contemporary India. His work serves as an inspiration to young people across India, offering hope and encouragement to those who seek to live a life true to themselves. Chetan Bhagat's writing is a testament to the power of literature to capture the essence of the human experience and inspire readers to live their lives with purpose and passion.

Nearly all Bhagat's novels represent the strivings, failures and frustrations of the present generation with a lot of social comments through the medium of comedy. Bhagat has left an indelible impact on the readers which has a deep philosophical bent of mind. His novels are easy reads but they do make us think about life and its purpose. Bhagat's novels inspire readers to question the status quo and challenge conventional thinking, encouraging them to pursue their dreams and aspirations with conviction and resilience. His impact on contemporary Indian literature is undeniable, and his legacy as a writer who fearlessly explores the complex issues and dilemmas of the modern world is sure to endure for years to come.

Chetan Bhagat's novels often depict protagonists who are driven by a strong desire for success and the pursuit of their dreams. Through his characters, Bhagat presents a message of hope and perseverance, highlighting the importance of determination and hard work in achieving one's goals. In addition to emphasising the importance of personal ambition and determination, Bhagat's novels also touch upon broader social issues, such as corruption and political corruption. Through this, he highlights the importance of individuality and the pursuit of personal passions and interests, rather than conforming to societal norms and expectations. Bhagat's novels also address issues of identity, including the rejection of caste and religion-based politics. His characters embody a sense of modernity and forward-thinking, rejecting outdated traditions and embracing a more inclusive and progressive worldview. The literary works of Chetan Bhagat revolve around the complex and multifaceted issues of life such as friendship, love, religion and politics. What sets Bhagat's work apart is his focus on young and dynamic characters who navigate these issues with a fresh and contemporary perspective. In Bhagat's fictional world, these young characters reject the divisive and regressive forces of casteism and religious fanaticism that have plagued India for centuries. At the same time, Bhagat's work is also an exploration of the modern youth's approach to polity, society and personal issues. He delves into the psyche of the young generation and tries to understand the factors that shape their thoughts and opinions. In doing so, he uncovers a range of issues that impact the youth of India, from the challenges of finding a job to the complexities of romantic relationships in a rapidly changing world. In essence, Chetan Bhagat's literary oeuvre is a profound reflection on the struggles and success of the modern Indian youth. His novels are a testament to the resilience, ambition and ingenuity of this generation, as they navigate the complexities of a rapidly changing world. Through his work, Bhagat has successfully captured the zeitgeist of his time and given voice to a new generation of young people who are determined to shape their own destiny.

Through his vivid and dynamic central characters, Bhagat portrays the modern Indian youth's attitudes towards these issues. He presents a new perspective on India that rejects casteism and religious fanaticism in politics, highlighting the changing landscape of the country. Bhagat's works delve into the challenges and struggles that the youth face, whether it's in the personal or social sphere. He analyses their approach to polity, society, and individual dilemmas, demonstrating a nuanced understanding of the contemporary Indian youth's psyche. By skillfully navigating these complex issues, Bhagat has managed to carve a niche for himself as a popular writer. Bhagat's novels are a reflection of the present-day Indian society, its concerns, and its aspirations. He showcases the success of the young generation in overcoming the obstacles they encounter, be it in their personal lives or in society. His unique perspective has resonated with the youth, making him a prominent voice in the literary world.

During the research on Chetan Bhagat's novels, namely The Girl In Room No 105 and One Arranged Murder, several limitations were encountered. Firstly, there is limited research material available on these two novels, which can make it difficult to conduct comprehensive research. This may lead to a lack of in-depth analysis and understanding of the themes and characters portrayed in the novels. Secondly, these novels may only cover certain topics or themes, and the researcher may not be able to explore other aspects of the author's work or the societal issues that the novel touches upon. This can limit the scope of the research and prevent a comprehensive analysis of the novel as a whole. Furthermore, the study only focuses on the portrayal of youth and their success over life issues in these novels, and may not take into account other important themes and issues that are relevant to society. This may limit the insights and conclusions drawn from the research. Finally, as with any literary analysis, there is subjectivity involved in interpreting the text and its meaning. This can lead to differences in opinions and conclusions drawn by different researchers.

A Study of Yoruba Culture in Wole Soyinka’s A Dance of the Forest

Name: Dhruvita Dhameliya

Roll no : 03

Semester : 04

Year: 2021 to 2023

Subject: The African Literature

Topic: A Study of Yoruba Culture in Wole Soyinka’s A Dance of the Forest

E-mail ID: dhameliyadhruvita24@gmail.com

Submitted to: S. B. Gardi Department of English   Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

Introduction of the Writer:

Wole Soyinka, in full, Akinwande Oluwole Soyinka, Nigerian playwright and political activist who received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986. He sometimes wrote of modern West Africa in a satirical style, but his serious intent and his belief in the evils inherent in the exercise of power were usually evident in his work as well.

A member of the Yoruba people. Soyinka attended Government College and University College in Ibadan before graduating in 1958 with a degree in English from the University of Leeds in England. Upon his return to Nigeria, he founded an acting company and wrote his first important play, A Dance of the Forests produced 1960; published 1963, for the Nigerian independence celebrations. The play satirises the fledgling nation by stripping it of romantic legend and by showing that the present is no more a golden age than was the past.

Introduction of the Play:

A Dance of the Forests was written for the independence celebrations of Nigeria in 1960. As a mythopoeic, Soyinka feels committed to put the rich, usable African past into perspective as the source of an ongoing process of continuity and growth. He dedicates himself to enlightening the hearts of his readers, whether African or not, by exploring into the world of African mythology, especially, the myth of Ogun. The play significantly reveals, for the first time, the playwright's political inclinations, the anxiety he had about life in general and the future of his nation in particular. 

The play emphasises the need to restore the African cultural identity as a major element of social development. Nigeria, like Kenya, and any other colonised countries, is a creation of British imperialism. We can see in Nigeria, the forcible amalgamation of different people with different languages and widely diverse cultures. Gifted with the power of foreseeing the future of his country, Soyinka warns his people of the impending class and factional conflicts, economic crises and political chaos. He warns the natives about the fragile arena of the nation state that has gained independence. Though one of the most fearless among the political activists of African writers involved in some of the most deadly events in Nigeria, Africa and the world and one who has suffered terribly from activism, Soyinka has often tried to separate his commitment to political causes Erom what he considers to be his artistic vocation. He has never presented his art as a part of this activism Still in A Dance of the Forests is discernible the political commitment which leads to the exposure of the corrupt politicians who destroy the country's unity, integrity as well as development. In this chapter it is proposed to view A Dance Of The Forests as a work that projects his dynamic mythic vision, which also embodies for the first time, his political philosophy. This philosophy very clearly reveals his philosophy of life. It also gives a broad hint as to what role a postcolonial citizen shall play to lead his country to progress.

In his most complex satirical play, A Dance Of The Forests, Soyinka displays his obsession with truth by talking about death, despair and disillusionment that await this new-born nation at a time of the highly joyous occasion of its independence. We find here a stroke of bold imagination which points at the depth and sincerity of Soyinka's vision.

Adrian Roscoe has stressed this aspect in his Mother is Gold "Here indeed was a stroke of bold imagination that pointed up the breadth, depth and sincerity of vision; for in a play offered to a nation on the euphoric occasion of its independence, the immediate victim of the satire is that nation itself; in a play ostensibly celebrating a country's birth, the talk is all of death, delusion and betrayal". An intermingling of traditional and Western elements, a juxtaposing of materials from all cultures; the Christian and the Yoruba myths for the purpose of illustrating his arguments can be observed in the play A Dance of the Forests is an aesthetic expression of Soyinkas' philosophical ambivalence, which is actually the pivot of the eclecticism of his theatre. As in other works, the use of ritual decides the ultimate meaning of A Dance of the Forests. It proclaims Soyinka's unrelenting obsession with the Ogun myth and its complicated reenactments through ritual. It convincingly proves that this is a mythic imagination. As Stanley Macebuh points out: "Soyinka is first and foremost a mythopoeic; his imagination is in a quite fundamental sense a mythic imagination". Soyinka's works in general, and A Dance of the Forests in particular, have the reputation of being ambiguous, dense and opaque. This reputation for ambiguity is all the more complicated by his effort to proffer mythic explanations and resolutions for social problems. 

Representation of Yoruba Culture in the Play:

The Yoruba people resided in Nigeria's south-western region, where they accounted for around 20% of the population. They were thought to have come from the Middle East and settled in Europe throughout the Middle Ages. They were a religious group of Christians, Muslims, and others who held traditional views. The Yoruba are mostly active in the commercial media and educational sectors of the nation. The Yoruba people have a variety of origin legends, but they all stem from the same progenitor, "Oduduwa." According to one narrative, he travelled from Mecca after being driven from his house owing to his belief in deities, and subsequently lived in Ile-Ife, where he created a dynasty that was later extended by his offspring. Another theory claims that he was an ordinary Yoruba man who wanted to overthrow the ruling elite. Another mythology claims that God sent Oduduwa - the Yoruba father from heaven to create the planet and humanity. His lieutenants took him down from heaven and landed in Ile-Ife, where he completed his mission. The connection that allowed him to arrive on Earth is said to still reside in the monument, albeit it is concealed from prying eyes. 

The Yoruba worldview and associated rituals provide nourishment to the traditional Yoruba world. Yoruba metaphysics encourages believers to believe in the four realms of existence. The world of the living, the world of the dead, and the world of the unborn are all related in Yoruba cosmology by the supernatural passage of transition. Yoruba cosmology demonstrates that these three states of existence are interconnected. As a result, a human being can exist in three different states, each of which requires traversing a transitory gulf to move from one state to the next. The Yoruba hold ancestors in high regard, and when a person dies physically in the world of the living, he or she joins the ancestors in the world of the dead. "In the Yoruba worldview, the unborn world is as obviously older than the living world as the living world is older than the ancestor-world." During egungun rituals, community members dressed in egungun masks physically brought the deceased ancestors back into the world of the living. This philosophical premise is central to Soyinka's works, such as A Dance of the Forests. In the setting of West African spiritualism, A Dance of the Forests depicted a complicated interplay between gods, mortals, and the dead with the ultimate goal of experiencing one's own self-discovery. The Yoruba's notion of time is flexible and non-linear, which is reflected in the way their culture is portrayed in drama: Gods, mortals, ancestors, and spirits are all represented in the plays. Soyinka depicts as figures three important deities who are commonly regarded as having extraordinary powers: Ogun, Eshu, and the Forest Head (Obatala) (Eshuoru). Soyinka illustrated a disagreement between the gods, which finally influences the lives and destinies of mankind, through this choice of words. There is only one supreme creator, and he is known as Obatala. In the Yoruba tradition, he is revered as a god of purity and morality. The Yoruba trickster god was known as Eshuoru. He is a prankster who symbolises the randomness of life. Mischiefmaking ensues because of his lack of respect for authority.

The god of conflict is Ogun in the Yoruba pantheon, nevertheless the deity of iron too, as a result warriors, hunters, blacksmiths, truck drivers, railroad workers, and artists worship him. He is a deity of many paradoxes, but he is most renowned for both being the god of creation and the god of elimination. The three gods were all interested in influencing the fortunes of the forest dwellers, which exacerbated the situation since gods used their unique skills to both destroy and protect their humans. According to the West African concept of Animism, "souls reside in things and natural phenomena such as trees, hills, streams, seas, and rocks," Soyinka included spirits that governed the universe alongside deities. The spirits gathered in the Forest Father's court to discuss their problems and come up with answers. The Integration of spirits here aims to portray a holistic cultural order in which the ultimate deity's might brings all components of the world together in harmonic oneness. Human figures were also separated into three groups: those who were alive, those who had died, and those who were yet to be born. In addition to the forest travellers who resided in the domain of the living, Soyinka urged ancestors from ancient times to rejuvenate via ceremonial ancestor worship. Furthermore, the play's final dance is focused on a fight to possess the unborn child of a deceased lady.

During rituals for forefather worship, characters in the play move between the world of the living and the dead. When they do this, they experience a kind of mobility between the worlds of the living and dead. Gods, humans possessed by real spirits, and unborn children all live together and interact in that scene. In Yoruba culture, time changes all the time, and this scene shows that. There were a lot of people who were interested in A Dance of the Forests, not just the people in Nigeria who thought it was a very good show of their culture, but also people who were more familiar with European traditions and worldviews. Soyinka uses symbols of gods and spirits, myths and rituals, songs and dancing and mime as parts of a feast in some of his work. He uses Yoruba culture because the songs and tonal rhythms are in tune with the drums and the dancing, and all three things are part of the ritual itself, so he can't separate them. Thus, he owes a lot to traditional culture, which helped shape the country's reputation as a good place to live

Conclusion

Among new commonwealth literatures, African literature stands out for its novelty. Inspiration comes from Yoruba culture, which Soyinka mixed with other African ideas. About 20% of Nigerians are Yoruba. With Middle Eastern origins, they migrated to Europe in the Middle Ages. Prior to the arrival of Christianity and Islam, the Yoruba practised their own religions. Yoruba metaphysics says a person can be in one of three states, and moving between them requires passing through a gap. During egungun rites, people physically resurrected their ancestors. Ogun is a war deity who is also a creator and destroyer. Affecting the woodland dwellers' lives was a goal for all three gods. "Souls exist in objects and natural events," Soyinka said, adding spirits to deities. Changing time is important in Yoruba culture. A Dance of the Forests captivated many. It is traditional culture that shaped Soyinka's reputation as a good writer.

Thank You!!!

Word Count:2038

Works Cited

Azumurana, Solomon. “Wole Soyinka's dystopian/utopian vision in A Dance of the Forests.” ResearchGate, 30 December 2017, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287094308_Wole_Soyinka%27s_dystopianutopian_vision_in_A_Dance_of_the_Forests. Accessed 27 March 2023.

Duttani, Mahesh. “A Dance of the Forests.” My Exam Solution, 7 December 2021, https://www.myexamsolution.com/2021/12/a-dance-of-the-forests.html. Accessed 27 March 2023.

Simran, Dr.Ramandeep Mahal. “A Study of Yoruba Culture in Wole Soyinka's A Dance of the Forest.” IJNRD, 4 April 2022, https://www.ijnrd.org/papers/IJNRD2204052.pdf. Accessed 27 March 2023.

Write an Essay on the Theme of Passion and Suffering in ‘The Only Story’

Name : Dhruvita Dhameliya

Roll no : 03

Semester : 04

Year: 2021 to 2023

Subject : Contemporary Literatures in English

Topic : Write an Essay on the Theme of Passion and Suffering in ‘The Only Story’

E-mail ID : dhameliyadhruvita24@gmail.com

Submitted to : S. B. Gardi Department of English   Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

Introduction of Writer:

Julian Barnes is an English novelist and journalist. Best known for his witty and intellectual novels, Barnes has enjoyed commercial and critical success for almost forty years. Barnes' work often deals with identity, memory, and historical themes. His most famous work is the postmodern novel Flaubert's Parrot. Julian Barnes has written numerous novels, short stories, and essays. He has also translated a book by French author Alphonse Daudet and a collection of German cartoons by Volker Kriegel. His writing has earned him considerable respect as an author who deals with the themes of history, reality, truth and love. He won the Man Booker Prize in 2011 with The Sense of an Ending, having been shortlisted three times previously with Flaubert's Parrot, England, and Arthur & George. Barnes has also written crime fiction under the pseudonym Dan Kavanagh. In addition to novels, Barnes has published collections of essays and short stories.

In 2004 he became a Commander of L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. His honours also include the Somerset Maugham Award and the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize. He was awarded the 2021 Jerusalem Prize.

Introduction of Novel:

The Only Story is primarily about the nature of love, and its impact on the people involved in it. The novel begins with a quotation from the eighteenth-century poet, essayist, and literary critic Dr. Samuel Johnson. In A Dictionary of the English Language (1755), Dr. Johnson defines the newly arising genre of the novel as “a small tale, generally of love” Unlike Dr. Johnson’s irony, Barnes’s quotation does not tend to challenge either the novel as a genre or love as its main theme. Instead, as Barnes proves in his novel, the only story of the so-called “small tale” is, or should be, love. By focusing on the complexities of the concept of love from a continuously transforming perspective, Barnes encourages us to interrogate our conventionalised understanding of love. In this regard, the narrator begins his act of narration with a general statement. He enters into an imaginary conversation with his ideal hypothetical audience on the opening page. By addressing his implied reader, he foreshadows the central theme in his own act of storytelling:

 Would you rather love the more, and suffer the more; or love the less, and suffer the less? That is, I think, finally, the only real question. You may point out – correctly – that it isn’t a real question. Because we don’t have a choice. If we had the choice, then there would be a question. But we don’t, so there isn’t. Who can control how much they love?  If you can control it, then it isn’t love. I don’t know what you call it instead, but it isn’t love.

Through a chain of rhetorical questions and the possible answers to them, the narrator tries to persuade the readers into believing the fact that the most fundamental question of being and existence should be a question related to love. Hence, in the opening page the narrator tries to justify the central point of his narration which turns out to be a narration totally dedicated to love: “Most of us have only one story to tell. I don’t mean that only one thing happens to us in our lives: there are countless events, which we turn into countless stories. But there’s only one that matters, only one finally worth telling. This is mine” The narrator does not mind admitting that he has been telling his story of love for a long time despite the fact that its reiteration has not brought him any certainty about either the nature of love or its impact on his life. In other words, he does not know whether this time his storytelling, which is mostly based on his act of remembering, will finally reveal to him the “truth” about love and the love affair he experienced five decades ago, “The question then is: do all these retellings bring you closer to the truth of what happened, or move you further away? I’m not sure”

The narrative events and situations in The Only Story are presented in a chronological order. Part One is narrated in first person, Part Two mostly in second person, and Part Three in third person. By choosing such a mode of narration, the author presents the nature and definition of love according to different perspectives. Part one of the narrative is about the birth of love, part two is about the death or test of love, and part three is about the aftermath or effect of love. Similarly, the different parts of the novel, in accordance with their content, are narrated in different modes, and different forms.

Themes of Novel:

1. Theme of Passion and Suffering

2. The Etymology of Passion

3. Love and Duty

4. Psychological Interpretation of Suffering

Theme of Passion and Suffering

The storyline in The Only Story revolves around the narrator’s memory of a love affair. He went through his first experience of love in his late adolescence and early adulthood years. Through his narrative of remembering, the narrator finds out that at that time he did not understand the concept of love as he would do later in his life. His understanding of love and beloved at this stage is completely based on an imaginary relation. His beloved acts as a mirror symbolising the desired, ideal wholeness. The narrator presents his younger self as a subject of lack or emptiness and his beloved as a subject who can complete his lack. Such a concept of love which is based on an imaginary relation is similar to Lacan’s definitions of the term.

d on an imaginary relation is similar to Lacan’s definitions of the term. More than presenting love as a rational, controllable, or calculable human phenomenon, The Only Story portrays it as an illusory and indeterminate emotion. In his attempts to define love, Lacan’s perspective is close to the situation represented by Barnes. Lacan refers to love in his different works at different periods. He associates it with lack, destitution, poverty, aporia, and narcissism. Speaking about love or defining it was always a challenging problem for Lacan since, according to him, an unchanging definition of love is nearly impossible. In all his discourses/seminars about love, he finds it “not possible to say anything meaningful or sensible about love”

“Love,” according to Lacan, “is a phenomenon which takes place in the imaginary level” Besides being about the complications of love, The Only Story is also about an unresolved conflict between two unlike generations. In other words, also the uncertain nature of the concept love itself is a formidable obstacle to interaction between the two central characters, their belonging to different epochs is another major obstacle. Without sharing their own individual characteristics, Paul and Susan fail to achieve a harmonious happiness. The narrator painfully remembers how his younger self in the past struggled for a long time in order to maintain the established unity between himself and his beloved as an attractive object of his desire. The purpose of his story is to achieve something in fiction that he could not in reality. However, when his illusions are shattered under the effect of his reconstructing memory, he finds it impossible to achieve a unity or sense of wholeness with his beloved. Thanks to his act of storytelling, he realises that love should be something more than a solipsistic emotion as it is a socio-culturally determined behaviour. The uncompromising nature of a unique kind of what Kristeva terms as singularity helps us to explain the rigid dichotomy between the narrator and his beloved.

The plot line in part two mostly turns around Paul’s and Susan’s shared life in a new environment, London. Paul in his twenties lives with Susan in her fifties. In this stage of their relationship, they inevitably enter into a new structure which is part of the so-called Symbolic Order, or the adult world. They both undertake some of the basic functions of adult life. It is during this time that for the first time Paul begins thinking, not just feeling, about his relationship with Susan. The denouement of their love plot also begins at this stage. 

The order of presented events in this part, as it is true about the other two parts, is achronological. In his narration, the narrator presents a mixed-up combination of experiences, feelings and thoughts in different phases of his shared life with Susan. He sometimes returns to the experiences he had at the Macleods’ in order to talk about the felt animosity between himself and Mr Macleod on the one hand, and the domestic violence or the troubled relationship between Susan and her husband on the other. Besides that, he presents the events which finally led to their decision to move from their village to London. He tells the readers how he encouraged Susan to apply for divorce from her husband because of his mistreatment of her. At the same time, he talks about Susan’s reluctance to do so and her gradual immersion in dishonesty and alcoholism. Finally, he describes the fundamental change of his own perspective towards love and Susan which mainly happens as a result of his long contemplations of his own and Susan’s characters and conditions.

The more Paul matures with the development of the relationship with Susan, the more he begins to notice the real problems. Throughout this period, he gradually takes distance from his primarily passionate and absolutist perspective towards love. This becomes possible through the practical nature of his experience. He encounters the real hardships in his relationship with Susan. Unlike the imaginary nature of his courtship years, the partnership teaches him some of the norms of the symbolic order. 

Under the effect of some unexpected events and situations, Paul discovers different aspects of Susan’s character. He becomes more aware of the different and complicated character of his beloved the more he tries to understand her mental states. This process teaches him about the different aspects of her character and his own character. He becomes aware of the fact that, as a woman of his parents’ generation, she is also a “conditioned” woman who is hardly able to break away from her family, and from the established structures like marriage. He also learns that the marriage institution is so strong that even Susan, despite the fact that she has been experiencing intense aggression and domestic violence for long years, cannot break away from it. However, despite the difficulties produced by their open-to-public action in moving away from their village to London, he gives a promise to himself to “redouble” his “commitment” to Susan as she gives herself to alcohol, cigarettes, and depression. Paul pretends to do so in the name of his love. In other words, he thinks that his decision to slowly move away from her is because of his true love for her. In comparing his life with those of his friends, Paul finds his new and unusual life more “interesting” although he is in love with a woman “being characterised as potentially mad”. He tries to justify his situation: “you are still ahead of them because your relationship is more fascinating, more complicated, and more insoluble” Such counterfactual behaviour, however, partly derives from his one-track mind. 

Towards the end of part two, Paul does not talk about the cause of Susan’s alcoholism as much as he talks about her inability to stop it. He presents his younger self in this stage as a devotee, and loyal lover who did not abstain from whatever he could do. It is painful to him to see that while as a lawyer he can solve other people’s problems, he is unable to solve his own problem. Finally, by taking out the “running away fund” that Susan gave him once and running away, he decides to leave Susan. He begins sleeping with prostitutes and tries to forget about Susan and her problems. At the same time, he continuously attempts to justify leaving her:

“And so, by the end, you have tried soft love and tough love, feelings and reason, truth and lies, promises and threats, hope and stoicism. But you are not a machine, switching easily from one approach to another. Each strategy involves as much emotional strain on you as on her; perhaps more … you find yourself thinking: she may be destroying herself in the long term, but in the short term, she’s doing more damage to you. Helpless, frustrated anger overwhelms you; and, worst of all, righteous anger. You hate your own righteousness”.

At the end of part two, Paul defends his decision in leaving Susan. He no longer cares about the people’s, including the readers’, judgement of him, “You do not care how anyone might judge you if they could see where you are and what you are doing. … You do not reproach yourself; nor do you experience guilt, now or later”. Having left Susan, Paul begins the long and unending re-evaluation process of his affair with Susan. 

Conclusion:

The Only Story unveils the illusion of love and shared singularity through the reconstructed nature of memory. His storytelling enables the narrator to perceive the fact that his love affair with his beloved was primarily based on some mutual, and unfulfilled, expectations. They could hardly comply with the egoistic demands of each other. Their relationship broke off since their love, in agreement with Lacan’s understanding of this concept, did not deliver themselves from their profound sense of lack. The narrator presents his experience of love as an unusual event which occurred during the decade of the 1960s in European culture. Paul was born into the sexual revolution that happened in this decade. He was a forerunner of the modern generation in his society. He was an individual with a maximum sense of egoism. Unlike Kristeva’s definition of shared singularity, the represented fictional society in the village does not allow its people to pursue their own individuality, and foster the sharing between them at the same time. The inhabitants, therefore, fail to recognize each other’s singularities, let alone share them. Thus, their uncompromising private realities set up an important part of the major barrier between them. Having failed to overcome the dominance of their own subjectivities, they are unable to build a shared singularity which could guarantee the unproblematic continuation of their romantic companionship. Besides the importance of the two characters’ increasingly opposing traits, their contextual realities make a harmonious and long-standing relationship impossible for them. Though for different reasons, Paul and Susan fail to share their singularities with each other. However, later in life he comes to the belated understanding that his own ego centred character and unwillingness to share with Susan should have been among the primary causes of his problems. All in all, he represents himself as a symbol of individualism.

Thank You

Word Count: 2640

Works Cited

BIJMAN, M. “It's not about mixed doubles at all – The Only Story, by Julian Barnes.” SEVEN CIRCUMSTANCES, 17 August 2018, https://sevencircumstances.com/2018/08/17/plodding-sadly-towards-disappointment-the-only-story-by-julian-barnes/. Accessed 27 March 2023.

McAlpin, Heller, and Julian Barnes. “Beautiful But Heartrending, 'The Only Story' Looks Back At Love Gone Wrong.” NPR, 17 April 2018, https://www.npr.org/2018/04/17/600902229/beautiful-but-heartrending-the-only-story-looks-back-at-love-gone-wrong. Accessed 27 March 2023.

NAYEBPOUR, Karam NAYEBPOUR. “Reconstructed Memory of Love in Julian Barnes’s The Only Story.” vol. 2, December 2021, https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/979900. Accessed Thursday January 2023.

“Reconstructed Memory of Love in Julian Barnes's The Only Story.” DergiPark, 4 April 2021, https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/979900. Accessed 27 March 2023.

Ganesh.N. Devy’s views in ‘Translation Theory from an Indian perspective.

 Name : Dhruvita Dhameliya

Roll no : 03

Semester : 04

Year: 2021 to 2023

Subject :Comparative Literature & Translation Studies

Topic : Ganesh.N. Devy’s views in ‘Translation Theory from an Indian perspective.

E-mail ID : dhameliyadhruvita24@gmail.com

Submitted to : S. B. Gardi Department of English   Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

What is Translation Studies:

Translation studies is an academic interdiscipline dealing with the systematic study of the theory, description and application of translation, interpreting, and localization. As an inter discipline, translation studies borrows much from the various fields of study that support translation. These include comparative literature, computer science, history, linguistics, philology, philosophy, semiotics, and terminology. The term "translation studies" was coined by the Amsterdam-based American scholar James S. Holmes in his 1972 paper "The name and nature of translation studies", which is considered a foundational statement for the discipline. Writers in English occasionally use the term "translatology" and less commonly "traductology" to refer to translation studies, and the corresponding French term for the discipline is usually "traductologie" as in the Society Française de Traductologie. In the United States, there is a preference for the term "translation and interpreting studies" as in the American Translation and Interpreting Studies Association, although European tradition includes interpreting within translation studies.

In everyday language, translation is thought of as a text which is a "representation" or "reproduction" of an original one produced in another language. It is a written or spoken rendering of a word, speech, book or other text in another language.

The more detailed definition of translation raises at least four separate issues:

 (1) Translation as a Process and/or Product

(2) Sub- types of translation 

(3) Concern with written texts

(4) Translation vs. Non-translation 

THE RISE AND DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSLATION

The word 'translation' comes from a Latin term which means "to bring or carry across". Another relevant term comes from the Ancient Greek word of 'metaphrasis' which means "to speak across" and from this, the term 'metaphrase' was born, which means a "word-for-word translation". These terms have been at the heart of theories relating to translation throughout history and have given insight into when and where translation has been used throughout the ages. 

‘Translation is the wandering existence of a text in a perpetual exile,’ 

says J. Hillis Miller.

The statement alludes to the Christian myth of the Fall, exile and wandering. In Western metaphysics translation is an exile, a fall from the origin; and the mythical exile is a metaphoric translation, a post-Babel crisis.

 Given this metaphysical precondition of Western aesthetics, it is not surprising that literary translations are not accorded the same status as original works. Western literary criticism provides for the guilt of translations for coming into being after the original; the temporal sequentiality is held as a proof of diminution of literary authenticity of translations. The strong sense of individuality given to Western individuals through systematic philosophy and the logic of social history makes them view translation as an intrusion of ‘the other.

One of the most revolutionary events in the history of English style has been the authorised translation of the Bible. It was also the literary expression of Protestant Christianity. The recovery of the original spirit of Christianity was thus sought by Protestant England through an act of translation. It is well known that Chaucer was translating the style of Boccacio into English when he created his Canterbury Tales. When Dryden and Pope wanted to recover a sense of order, they used the tool of translation. Similar attempts were made in other European languages such as German and French. During the last two centuries the role of translation in communicating literary movements across linguistic borders has become very important. The tradition that has given us writers like Shaw, Yeats, Joyce, Beckett and Heaney in a single century – the tradition of Anglo-Irish literature – branched out of the practice of translating Irish works into English initiated by Macpherson towards the end of the eighteenth century. Indian English Literature too has gathered its conventions of writing from the Indological activity of translation during the late eighteenth century and the nineteenth century. Many of the Anglo-Irish and Indian English writers have been able translators themselves. Similarly the settler colonies such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand have impressive modern traditions of literature, which have resulted from the ‘translation’ of the settlers from their homeland to alien locations. Post- colonial writing in the former Spanish colonies in South America, the former colonies in Africa and other parts of the world has experienced the importance of translation as one of the crucial conditions for creativity. Origins of literary movements and literary traditions inhabit various acts of translation.

Considering the fact that most literary traditions originate in translation and gain substance through repeated acts of translation, it would be useful for a theory of literary history if a supporting theory of literary translation were available. However, since translations are popularly perceived as unoriginal, not much thought has been devoted to the aesthetics of translation. Most of the primary issues relating to ‘form’ and ‘meaning’ too have not been settled in relation to translation. No critic has taken any well-defined position about the exact placement of translations in literary history. Do they belong to the history of the ‘T’ languages or do they belong to the history of the ‘S’ languages? Or do they form an independent tradition all by themselves? This ontological uncertainty which haunts translations has rendered translation study a haphazard activity which devotes too much energy discussing problems of conveying the original meaning in the altered structure. 

Unfortunately for translation, the various developments concerning the interdependence between meaning and structure in the field of linguistics have been based on monolingual data and situations. Even the sophisticated and revolutionary theoretical formulation proposed by structural linguistics is not adequate to unravel the intricacies of translation activity. 

Roman Jakobson in his essay on the linguistics of translation proposed a three fold classification of translations:

 

(a) those from one verbal order to another verbal order within the same language system,

(b) those from one language system to another language system, and 

(c) those from a verbal order to another system of signs.

As he considers, theoretically, a complete semantic equivalence as the final objective of a translation act – which is not possible – he asserts that poetry is untranslatable. He maintains that only a ‘creative translation’ is possible. 

The translation problem is not just a linguistic problem. It is an aesthetic and ideological problem with an important bearing on the question of literary history. Literary translation is not just a replication of a text in another verbal system of signs. It is a replication of an ordered sub-system of signs within a given language in another corresponding ordered sub-system of signs within a related language. Translation is not a transposition of significance or signs. After the act of translation is over, the original work still remains in its original position. Translation is rather an attempted revitalization of the original in another verbal order and temporal space. Like literary texts that continue to belong to their original periods and styles and also exist through successive chronological periods, translation at once approximates the original and transcends it. 

The problems in translation study are, therefore, very much like those in literary history. They are the problems of the relationship between origins and sequentiality. And as in translation study so in literary history, the problem of origin has not been tackled satisfactorily. The point that needs to be made is that probably the question of origins of literary traditions will have to be viewed differently by literary communities with ‘translating consciousness’. The fact that Indian literary communities do possess this translating consciousness can be brought home effectively by reminding ourselves that the very foundation of modern Indian literatures was laid through acts of translation, whether by Jayadeva, Hemcandra, Michael Madhusudan Dutta, H.N. Apte or Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.  

Indian metaphysics believes in an unhindered migration of the soul from one body to another. Repeated birth is the very substance of all animated creations. When the soul passes from one body to another, it does not lose any of its essential significance. Indian philosophies of the relationship between form and essence, structure and significance are guided by this metaphysics. The soul, or significance, is not subject to the laws of temporality; and therefore significance, even literary significance, is ahistorical in Indian view. Elements of plot, stories, characters, can be used again and again by new generations of writers because Indian literary theory does not lay undue emphasis on originality. If originality were made a criterion of literary excellence, a majority of Indian classics would fail the test. The true test is the writer’s capacity to transform, to translate, to restate, to revitalise the original. And in that sense Indian literary traditions are essentially traditions of translation.

During the last two centuries the role of translation in communicating literary movements across linguistic borders has become very important. Considering the fact that most literary traditions originate in translation and gain substance through repeated acts of translation, it would be useful for a theory of literary history if a supporting theory of literary translation were available. No critic has taken any well-defined position about the exact placement of translations in literary history. Do they belong to the history of the "T" languages or do they belong to the history of the 'S' languages? Or do they form an independent tradition all by themselves? This ontological uncertainty which haunts translations has rendered translation study a haphazard activity which devotes too much energy discussing problems of conveying the original meaning in the altered structure.

As he says, the translator didn't get more respect compared to the original writer - and if we tried to copy then we lose our epics and literature.

As Plato said - Copies are inferior to original work. Whatever today we look as Indian is also Western way and idea of looking. In Western tradition speaking is more important but in Eastern tradition seeing is more important.

In order to explain linguistic change, historical linguistics employs the concept of semantic differentiation as well as that of phonetic glides. While the linguistic changes within a single language occur more predominantly due to semantic differentiation, they also show marked phonetic glides. However, the degree of such glides is more pronounced when a new language comes into existence. In other words, whereas linguistic changes within a single language are predominantly of a semantic nature, the linguistic differences between two closely related languages are predominantly phonetic. Technically speaking, then, if synonymy within one language is a near impossibility, it is not so when we consider two related languages together.

Structural linguistics considers language as a system of signs, arbitrarily developed, that tries to cover the entire range of significance available to the culture of that language. The signs do not mean anything by or in themselves, they acquire significance by virtue of their relation to the entire system to which they belong. This theory naturally looks askance at translation which is an attempt to rescue/ abstract significance from one system of signs and to wed it with another such system. But language is an open system. It keeps admitting new signs as well as new significance in its fold. It is also open in the socio-linguistic sense that it allows an individual speaker or writer to use as much of it as he can or likes to do. If this is the case, then how 'open' is a particular system of verbal signs when a bilingual user, such as a translator, rents it open? Assuming that for an individual language resides within his consciousness, we can ask whether the two systems within his consciousness can be shown as materially different and whether they retain their individual identities within the sphere of his consciousness.

The concept of a 'translating consciousness" and communities of people possessing it are no mere notions. In most Third World countries, where a dominating colonial language has acquired a privileged place, such communities do exist. In India several languages are simultaneously used by language communities as if these languages formed a continuous spectrum of signs and significance. The use of two or more different languages in translation activity cannot be understood properly through studies of foreign-language acquisition.

Conclusion:-

Indian metaphysics believes in an unhindered migration of the soul from one body to another. Repeated birth is the very substance of all animated creations. When the soul passes from one body to another, it does not lose any of its essential significance. Indian philosophies of the relationship between form and essence, structure and significance are guided by this metaphysics. The soul, or significance, is not subject to the laws of temporality; and therefore significance, even literary significance, is ahistorical in Indian view. Elements of plot, stories, characters, can be used again and again by new generations of writers because Indian literary theory does not lay undue emphasis on originality. If originality were made a criterion of literary excellence, a majority of Indian classics would fail the test. The true test is the writer's capacity to transform, to translate, to restate, to revitalise the original. And in that sense Indian literary traditions are essentially traditions of translation.

Thank You

Word Count: 2315

Works Cited

Bose, Abhish K. “Prof. G.N. Devy: 'All our languages are losing linguistic prowess.'” Frontline, 12 April 2022, https://frontline.thehindu.com/the-nation/interview-g-n-devy-all-our-languages-are-losing-linguistic-prowess/article38467813.ece. Accessed 27 March 2023.

Devy, Ganesh. ““Translation and Literary History: An Indian View.”” Translation and Literary History G N Devy, https://udrc.lkouniv.ac.in/Content/DepartmentContent/SM_c30be09c-d6c7-4cd2-a95c-a81119f654eb_6.pdf. Accessed 27 March 2023.

Ganesh Devy. “. .” . . - YouTube, 30 December 2017, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/002198949302800110. Accessed 27 March 2023.

“What is Translation Studies? - Translation Studies at Exeter.” University of Exeter WordPress -, 17 April 2018, https://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/translation/blog/2018/04/17/what-is-translation-studies/. Accessed 27 March 2023.